


how quivering and fierce we were

by addandsubtract



Series: clockwork heart [1]
Category: Social Network (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cyberpunk, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-15
Updated: 2010-11-15
Packaged: 2017-10-25 19:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/274127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addandsubtract/pseuds/addandsubtract
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>social network cyberpunk au. mark's a hacker, eduardo is - not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	how quivering and fierce we were

**Author's Note:**

> written for the [commentfic fest](http://community.livejournal.com/mark_eduardo/24101.html) over on the [mark_eduardo](http://mark_eduardo.livejournal.com) comm!

Mark’s been hooked up for going on 36 hours now, and Eduardo wishes, again, that he could manually disconnect him. His eyes are open, blinking, and moving, and tracking unseen lines of code projected inside his visual cortex by the electrical signal transmitted through his implant. He’s still got the scar on his neck from the shunt, but most implants have gone wireless, imbedded. Mark only has to use the shunt, now, when they’re off the grid.

Which is more often than most people, but less than they used to be. Eduardo is relieved; the shunt still causes Mark physical pain.

“Mark,” he says, and Mark grunts, but it’s more _I’m acknowledging that reality exists_ , than _yes, what did you want?_ Eduardo clenches his hands into fists, mostly to keep from shaking Mark. It wouldn’t do any good. The only way to shut the connection down is to cut the electricity, and Eduardo’s not even sure what that would do to Mark. Nothing good.

36 hours is too long, and Eduardo can’t follow him in. Eduardo’s intact skin is worth millions, even with being on the lam. No clean outfit would dare, and the back alley deals aren’t safe. Not with imbedded implants. Brain surgery is not something to trust on black market dealings – not when Eduardo still has Mark. Mark is the best, and Mark insists he doesn’t need backup. Eduardo hates having to trust him on it.

“Mark,” he tries again, and Mark twitches. The room is bare; just a table, the repeater in the corner picking up the signal, the chair Mark is sitting on, a cabinet, and a sink. There’s a dirty glass on the edge of the counter by the sink. Eduardo bites his lip, and goes to it, rinsing the glass out, and filling it with water. The water is tepid, but clean.

He takes a sip, and it tastes coppery. Old pipes. Eduardo’s father would be livid if he knew where Eduardo was. If Mark hadn’t deactivated the tracker in Eduardo’s spine.

Eduardo sighs, and kneels by Mark’s bent knee. He puts a hand carefully over the curve of Mark’s kneecap, and searches Mark’s face for anything resembling sense. Mark’s mouth is slightly open, eyes flickering back and forth as he searches through data, or fits himself between firewalls, or whatever it is that he’s doing. He should’ve been done with the program ten hours ago. Eduardo isn’t worrying, he’s not, but Mark is terrible at remembering about his body – that it needs food, and water. That it needs sleep.

Eduardo carefully places one hand on Mark’s cheek, and Mark startles a little, but doesn’t respond verbally, and doesn’t make eye contact.

“Shh,” Eduardo says, even though Mark’s said nothing at all. He raises the glass to Mark’s lips, and tilts it slightly. The first drops slide down Mark’s chin and soak into his shirt. “Drink, Mark, you fucker,” Eduardo says, forcing his voice calm.

Mark swallows. Eduardo tilts the glass a little more, and Mark swallows again. Mark’s thigh is too thin underneath Eduardo’s hand, his face too pale. He swallows.

“Come back, asshole,” Eduardo says, relieved, despite himself.

The glass emptied, Eduardo sets it carefully next to the leg of the chair. He wipes the few trickles of water from the corner of Mark’s mouth. He props his chin on Mark’s thigh, and prepares to wait.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] how quivering and fierce we were](https://archiveofourown.org/works/375539) by [growlery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/growlery/pseuds/growlery)




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